Fashion Revolution Day 2016 marks three years since 1,134 people were killed and over 2,500 injured when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was the worst ever industrial accident to hit the garment industry and the Fashion Revolution campaign aims to make sure such an atrocity never happens again. Consumers around the world are encouraged to question who made their clothes, while designers, tailors and all those involved in sustainable fashion production take the opportunity to share pictures and stories from their workplace
We asked Molly, a British fashion student currently interning at Jacobs Well, to share some thoughts on the occasion.
FASHION REVOLUTION AT JW PRODUCTION.
From having 20 years of shopping addiction and spending all my months' wages on clothes shopping, my experience at Jacobs Well has opened my thoughts and mind enormously.WHO MADE MY CLOTHES? It's so scary to think how fast fashion is, how massive the demand on the industry is, and the sheer scale of the production needed to make the clothes for sale. Cheap labour is often used while the clothes are sold at expensive prices in the UK. Where on earth does that money go?
Fashion Revolution Day is a massive step forward in bringing awareness to people like me, who buy clothes excessively because you think you need it for that party. "I have nothing to wear!" I say. And yet I have about 5 drawers and a whole wardrobe full. Okay I love clothes. But now I know:
1) To buy it from somewhere where workers have a fair wage, good working conditions and there is no child labour. The people making our clothes have mouths to feed and a family to provide for. And I never thought when buying my clothes that SOMEONE had actually made this.
2) RECYCLE my clothes! I can be more active in reusing a old t-shirt and turning it into something else. Not only are we saving wastage we are being more original in what we are wearing and starting our own style. Be brave and be bold.
As one day I dream to be a fashion designer, I now know and have witnessed how clothes should be made. I am only going to source and base my design through equality. To have an active relationship at every stage of making a garment that I have designed. It's important to me to know the people who cut, stitch and send my designs. This is what Jacobs Well has taught me before I begin my lifetime in the fashion industry; without it I would have been blind to where I could have sent my designs - most likely to unethical fashion production sweat shops.
Thank you Molly! It is so exciting and inspiring to see the next generation of fashion designers and consumers connect the dots in the industry so early on, and commit to changing the status quo.
Fashion Revolution 2016